Customers disregard to safety

[Stanios]

The one thing no health and safety training ever mentions is customers having complete disregard to safety and expecting you to do dangerous work.

Just last week had two completely normal looking (on the outside) sane individuals a lady customer whom I installed a boiler for had a blockage in the sink and asked to "have a look". Luckily their roof was being done (5 storey block of flats) and had scaffolding right outside the kitchen window where drain is on the 3rd floor. No problem I said get permission for me to access scaffold and either they supply ladder or I use my tripple ladder to access it. This is where she produced the gem of an idea " Just climb out of my kitchen window that way you wont need a ladder....my builders did it" "I get it you dont want to break health and safety regulation " "ok so you dont want to do the job"

Second one, Aussie bloke, broken boiler, he said he unplugged the boiler. Goes to plug it back in (thank God him not me) and gets a shock. I checl plug (unplugged) its LIVE. He has a 4 week old baby in the house.. I looked at board, no rcd old wire fuses so we turned the fuse off and I left the plug out. Told him to get electrician to make sure it wont leak to earth and maybe get a board that would trip a fuse when someone gets shocked before I do anything else to boiler. Got sparks same day get a text "electician had a look says its safe as long as the plug stays in, can you come and sort the boiler now?"

 

[Scott_D]

I would probably climb out the window without thinking about it.
I wouldnt touch the boiler job though.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Back feeding from somewhere dual supplies

 

[mfgs]

I’ve had that before. Was replacing a 2 port actuator in a rush. Fused spur next to the wiring centre, could see the cable going from the spur to the wiring centre. Turn it off, take the fuse out and crack on. Got a shock which disconnecting the old actuator, turns out there were two supplies feeding it. Never failed to double check with a multimeter since!

 

[rpm]

Unswitched fuse spur with the fuse in my pocket and still the pump fired up covering me in dirty water. When asked who the `ell wired this? The customer replied Oh that would be my late husband!

Couldn`t bring myself to ask what he died of!

 

[oz-plumber]

I have zero tolerance for safety.
Unfortunately, I have known of too many good plumbers that are on welfare benefits because of falls.
Doing stupid things on ladders and roofs without the proper safety procedures.

I did have a rude awakening about 25 years ago, I fell 4.5 metres off a roof.
Fortunately, came away from it ok.

Still haunts me thinking about it!!!!

 

[Stanios]

I would probably climb out the window without thinking about it.
I wouldnt touch the boiler job though.

Thats interesting, I've had many shocks and would take a shock over falling from height any day